Golf putrting practice device



R. c ELDREDGE 2,849,238 GOLF PUTTING PRACTICE DEVICE Filed Feb. 21, 1956 United States Patent ()fiicei 2,849,238 Patented Aug. 26, .1958

GOLF PUTTING PRACTICE .DEVIGE Robert C. Eldredge,*-Webster City, Iowa, assignor to Stewart Lund, Webster City, Iowa Application February 21 1956, ,Serial No. 566,967

3 Claims; (Cl. 273-177) Thisinvention relates to games and game equipment, and more particularly to a golf-type game and equipment therefor.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel game and equipment therefor which simulates the well-known game of golf in manner of .play as 'well as type of equipment, yet which employs comparatively inexpensive equipment and-which requires neither the extended area nor thepermanent installation of a golf course.

Another object is to provide a golf-type game adapted to be played out of doors, as on lawns, drives and other ground areas, as well as indoors on carpets and other floor areas.

Still another object is to provide equipment for a golf-type game which can be quickly and easily laid out for play without the necessity of digging or otherwise providing holes in the ground or floor, and which can with equal ease and facility begathered up and compactly boxed for-storage.

A further object -is to provide a golf-type game in which theparticipants can experience the-enjoyment and exercise of :a fullusw-i-ngat a playing .ball with aplaying club without. requiringian extensive playing area and -.With a minimumof hazard to otherpersons or property.

A still further object is to provide game equipment including a. pluralityof. similar goal structures .or fholes which are.adapted .tobe. used as a series of holes laid .out indesiredsstations, or to be used .in a.-number less than all whenteither :space slimitations or :personalupreferences so :dictate.

Yet another 'object is touprovide game equipment including arplurality of :similar :hole structures .WhlCh .are

hole structures for a; golf-type. game which are inexpensive to manufacture, and which comprise a simple,anonmechanical target-for golf-type games.

A further object is to-tprovide .hole-structures'for a .game, which are adaptedwto be :usejdin plural .toaprescribe a course of playgas well as individually for putting practice, and which-have. means for generally retaining a; playing tlball within the hole once the ballnis projected into the latter.

Another object is to provide game equipment for a golf-simulating game, which is simple yet sturdyaof construction, and-adapted-for use not only by family groups, but by playgroundqand recreational departments as well. Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the description hereinafter set forth, taken in connection with the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is aperspective iew of one holestructure of my invention,"with a playing ball shown therewith in;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on 11 i? f F s- 1 G 2 Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a club of my invention; Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the case for a set of my game equipment; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of the case of Fig. 6 with the cover opened to expose the encased game equipment.

The game equipment includes one or more, and preferably nine, holes. One such hole 10 is shown in Fig. 1 and includes an open-bottomed box-like structure 12 having a roof 14 and four similar side walls 16 depending perpendicularly therefrom. Each side wall is provided with an arch-shaped opening18 cut in from its lower edge and centered laterally in the side wall. The box structure is adapted to be used with a ball 20 preferably of golf-ball size, and accordingly is preferably four inches in height and six inches square, with openings three inches each in Width and height.

Box structures formed from plywood have proved very satisfactory as elements of the game apparatus. However, other materialsmay be employed without departing from the scope of my invention. These other materials include other forms of wood, metal sheet or screen materials, stifl? paper, molded plastic or rubber and the like.

Each hole includes also a flag staff 22 and a numbered fiag 24 attached to the upper end thereof. The flag staff to support and display the flag 24. The flag 24 comprises a rectangle of cloth or other flexible material,

carrying a numeral which serves to identify the goal.

When the hole is positioned on soft ground, the base end 28 of the flag staff may be forced a short distance surface.

tion as well as to assist in retaining the flag staff in a vertical position (see Fig. 2). When the hole is set up indoors or is resting on ground which does not permit the flag stalf to be projected into it, the base end 28 of the flag staff may simply rest upon the ground or floor Even without being projected intothe ground, the flag staff is held with substantial rigidity in vertical position by reason of the thickness of the material from which the roof is fashioned, as well as by the frictional abutment of the base end 28 of the flag staff with the floor or ground.

The playing ball 20 for the game comprises preferably a commercially available golf practice ball. Preferably the ball is one formed as a foraminous hollow sphere formed from plastic material. This ball has a diameter the same as a standard golf ball, namely about 1 /3", and is characterized by its lightness in weight and resistance to being propelled for lengthy'distances. However, ,the playing ball may also take the form of a standard golf ball or other ball dimensionally suited to the box structure.

Any suitable form of club for stroking the ball may be used, including a conventional golf club. Preferably, I employ a club of very simple and inexpensive construction, one of which is shown in Fig. 4. While one club is sufficient, I prefer to include as components of the game set or equipment a plurality, for example six, similar clubs so that each player may be furnished a club.

The club 30 comprises a head 32 having the general form of an elongate rectangular block, and a shaft 34 fixedly connected to the head. The means for connecting the shaft to the head preferably include a cylindrical bore 36 in the head adapted to snugly accommodate one end of the shaft 34, and suitable means retaining the shaft within the bore, such as a dowel or pin 38 projected transversely through the head and the shaft.

The head 32 and the shaft 34 are so positioned relatively, that when the club 30 is held in playing position by a game participant, the shaft will be in a position intermediate the horizontal and the vertical, while the base of the head rests flat on the ground. Since the game ordinarily will be played in a relatively small area and will simulate play on a golf green, the club is preferably formed with no loft or particular provision for raising the playing ball off the ground. Accordingly two opposed vertical faces of the head constitute striking faces 40 for either a right or left handed swinging stroke at the playing ball.

The small size and light weight character of the playing ball require only a club 30 comparably light in weight. Therefore, the club may economically be fashioned of wood, with a hardwood, such as oak, being preferred for the head. However, it is to be understood that other materials, such as metal or plastic may also be used for either or both the head and the shaft. inches high, and one and one-half inches thick has proved satisfactory for use with the golf practice ball hereinabove described, while a shaft inch in diameter and 28 inches long provides a suitable handle therefor.

Preferably a complete set of my game apparatus comprises nine holes, having flags numbered successively from one to nine, six clubs and six balls, thereby enabling from one to six participants to play the game at one time. Provision is made for compactly encasing this set and to this end a case 42 is provided which is formed from a suitable material such as plywood, metal or boxboard, and is adapted to receive the hole box structures, the flag staffs, the clubs and the balls. A rectangular case 42 having internal dimensions of 36 inches in height, 8 inches in depth, and inches in width provides an excellent container for the preferred set of my game equipment. The set of equipment is packed in the case by withdrawing the flag staifs from their respective box structures, and stacking the box structures one on top of another within the case. Ample room is thereby provided for inserting the flag staffs, the clubs and the balls inside the case alongside the stacked box structures.

Access to the interior of the case 42 is provided by forming the latter from two complemental scoop-shaped sections 44 and 46, which are pivotally connected together by a hinge 48. The hinge 48 is so positioned as to permit one case section 44 to be pivoted away from closing relationship with the complemental section 46 to expose the interior of the case. A suitable fastener or lock 50 is provided to releasably hold the two sections 44 and 46 together, while suitable handle means 52 are provided on the case to facilitate its handling.

The game is preferably played by from one to six participants whose object is to strike at the ball with the club to propel it toward and into each goal successively in as few total strokes as possible.

The game equipment is set up for play out of doors by placing a flag stafl? in each box structure and placing the assembled holes on a playing surface in any desired locations, preferably spaced apart, so as to lay out or establish a playing course. The holes may be placed any distance apart depending on the space available, and may be placed as to have natural or artificial barriers or obstacles, such as trees, bushes, tall grass, ponds, furniture and the like interposed between successive holes. If the ground permits, the base ends of the flag staffs are forced a short distance into the ground as hereinabove explained.

Space permitting, a game course set up out of doors A club head four inches long, two and one-half preferably has holes spaced sufficiently from successive holes to permit participants at least one hard stroke at the ball with the club prior to any necessary gentle, more accurate strokes to propel the ball into a hole. Due to the propulsion-resistant characteristics of the golf practice ball, which rarely will travel a distance exceeding 25 feet, a distance of about 25 to 30 feet between goals is preferred. Obviously, even goals spaced successively at these intervals may be placed so that they all lie within a relatively small area, with a path between two goals crossing one or more other paths.

When the game apparatus is set up for indoors play, the distances between holes are preferably short, and the base ends of the flag staffs merely rest on the floor. Full or strong strokes at the balls with the clubs are restricted, and the game is played employing gentle strokes, similar to putting in the game of golf.

It can be seen that I have provided a novel game and equipment by which it is played. It is played with a golf-type swing of a club at a small, light-weight ball with the object of propelling that ball into a hole. However, neither the relatively expensive golf equipment nor the skill required to use it are needed to play the game.

Furthermore, the holes are adapted to be quickly and easily laid out or picked up as desired, and may be set up both indoors as well as out of doors with equal facility. The provision of several similar holes each usable independently of the others, as well as the freedom of the holes from requiring placement in a definite, inflexible relationship or course, imparts a high degree of flexibility to the game, especially since the holes are adapted to rest on the playing surface without requirement of digging or cutting into that playing surface.

Each individual hole is a sturdy and compact structure which economically simulates a golf hole toward which a playing ball must be accurately directed. Furthermore, the structure of the holes is such that a set of holes may be compactly and conveniently encased when not being used, thereby lending itself not only to family use and enjoyment, but to use by playground and recreational departments as well.

My game equipment provides great enjoyment for participants by including an opening in each side box wall of the structure so as to form a substantially omnidirectional golf hole. Each hole is adapted to present a symmetrical and attractive target toward which to direct a playing ball by the formation of each opening as to be centered laterally in a side wall, and by the provision of a vertical flag staff projecting centrally from the box structure. Not only does the flag staff present an attractive object toward which to line up a playing shot, but it also furnishes an identification means for each hole in golf manner.

The base end of the vertical flag staff projecting through the box structure serves to make the latter more effective as a golf hole, for by its central position in the box structure the base end constitutes an obstruction interposed midway between complemental openings in the side walls. The base end of the flag staff serves substantially to retain a ball within the hole once it is propelled thereinto by preventing the ball from being driven straight through the box structure in and out of complemental openings.

I claim:

1. A game equipment comprising a hole structure adapted to be placed on a playing surface and a playing ball adapted to be propelled thereinto, said structure including a box-like member having a roof and four side walls depending therefrom in rectangular formation, each side wall having an unobstructed opening midway between its ends and extending through its lower edge of a width greater than but less than twice the diameter of said ball and adapted to pass said ball freely there- 7, through, the roof having a vertical aperture centrally thereof, and an elongate rod removably projected through said aperture perpendicular to the playing surface, the lower end of said rod extending at least to the playing surface and being disposed in alignment with all of said openings to thereby obstruct movement out of one of said openings of the ball when the latter has entered the structure through an oppositely disposed opening.

2. A game equipment comprising a hole structure adapted to be placed on a playing surface and a playing ball adapted to be propelled thereinto, said structure including a box-like member having a roof and four side walls depending therefrom in rectangular arrangement, each side wall having an unobstructed opening in its lower edge midway between its ends and extending through its lower edge of a width greater than but less than twice the diameter of said ball and adapted to pass the ball freely therethrough and an elongate rod carried by and extending downwardly from said roof centrally thereof at least to the playing surface and perpendicular thereto, said rod being disposed in alignment with all the said openings to thereby obstruct movement of the ball out of one of said openings when the latter has entered the structure through an oppositely disposed opening.

3. A game equipment comprising a hole structure adapted to be placed on a playing surface and a playing ball adapted to be propelled thereinto, said structure including a box-like member having a roof and a continuous side wall depending therefrom, said side wall having a plurality of peripherally spaced, unobstructed openings therein extending through its lower edge of a width greater than but less than twice the diameter of said ball and adapted to pass the ball freely therethrough, said openings being equally spaced and each opposite and in alignment with another of said openings, a vertically disposed elongate rod carried by said roof and extending vertically downwardly therefrom to the playing surface and perpendicular thereto, said rod being disposed in alignment with all the said openings to thereby obstruct movement of the ball out of one of said open ings when the latter has entered the structure through an oppositely disposed opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 447,411 McMaster Mar. 3, 1891 1,208,838 Rolfe Dec. 19, 1916 1,537,711 Spafiord May 12, 1925 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,471 Great Britain 1891 

